Flow-controller



Jan,- '21, 1958 .1. a. LIVINGSTONE 2,320,576

FLOW-CONTROLLER Filed March 9, 1953 FIG.| 3 I INVENTOR.V JAY s.L'IVINGSTONE BY g 6.4%

ATTORNEY United. States Patent Q FLOW-CONTROLLER .lay G. Livingstone,Akron, Ohio Application March 9, 1953, Serial No. 341,206

6 Claims. (Cl. 222110) This invention relates to the combination of astopper or flow-controller with a bottle or other container, and moreparticularly with a pouring attachment for a bottle or other container.

Whether used with a pouring attachment or directly on a bottle or othercontainer, the flow-controller is movable in the passageway thereofthrough which liquid is poured. The flow-controller is used to vary thesize of an air inlet through which air is taken into the container viasaid passageway to replace liquid removed from the container. Betweenthe flow-controller and the wall of the passageway is a small channelthrough which liquid is delivered dropwise when the air inlet is almostclosed. The dropwise fiow of liquid may be varied by varying the size ofthe air inlet. On removal of the flow-controller from the passagewayliquid may be delivered through the passageway in a stream ofsubstantial proportions.

The pouring attachment or container is of the type provided with arun-back channel around the passageway. This collects any liquid whichdrips from the pouring lip at the upper end of the passageway andreturns it to the passageway through an opening, which is preferablylocated at the rear of the passageway opposite the pouring lip.

The flow-controller of this invention is advantageously separable fromthe pouring attachment or container with which it is used. It will besupplied for use under only special circumstances, as for the dropwisepouring of acids in a chemical laboratory, etc. Without theflowcontroller the pouring attachment or container may be used forpouring medicines, sirups, etc. The removable flow-controller will beused only for reducing the amount of liquid and air which can passthrough the passageway so that the liquid is delivered dropwise. One ormore lugs may be provided in the throat of the adapter to limit thedistance the flow-controller may be pushed into it.

The invention will be further described in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which the flowcontroller is described for usewith a pouring attachment.

Fig. 1 is an exploded view in perspective showing the flow-controllerremoved from the pouring attachment and above it;

Fig. 2 is a section through the pouring attachment with theflow-controller in it, and includes the upper portion of a bottle orother container to which the pouring attachment is affixed and a capover the attachment but disconnected from the bottle;

Fig. 3 is a section through the line 33 of Fig. 2 omitting the cap;

Fig. 4 is a similar section through an alternative construction;

Fig. 5 is a section through a modified adapter which is provided withlugs which limit the distance a flowcontroller can be pushed down intothe adapter;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; and

Pig. 7 is a section on the line 77 of Fig. 6.

The passageway through the pouring attachment is defined by the circularwall 1 in the back of which is the opening 2. The channel 3 surroundsthis wall 1. It is high at the front under the pouring lip 5 (Fig. 2)and low at the back where it empties into the passageway "ice throughthe opening 2 between the back edges of the cylindrical wall 1. Belowthis opening is the baflle 7 which prevents liquid from splashing orrunning out of the opening when the bottle 8 is tipped to the pouringposition.

The hood 9 of the pouring attachment is provided on its inner surfacewith a bead 10 engaged in a groove 11 in the neck 32 of the bottle nearits top 13. The annular flexible tongue 14 on the underside of thepouring attachment makes a liquid tight seal with the top 13 of thebottle.

The cap 35 is lifted in Fig. 2 so as to permit a clearer showing of theflow-controller and adapter. The threads 16 on the inner surface of thecap are designed to be threaded on the threads 17 on the neck of thebottle. The groove 18 on its inner-surface forms a tight seal with theupper edge 19 of the adapter. It is noted that the outer diameter of thetop 13 of the bottle and the hood 9 of the adapter are smaller than thediameter of the threads i7 as well as the root diameter of the threads.

in assembling this cap and adapter on a bottle freshly filled withliquid the flow-controller is put in the adapter, the adapter isinverted and put in the cap in an inverted position. Then the cap isturned over onto the top of the bottle and screwed down tight. Thiscauses the bead it to seat in the groove 11 in the bottle. Thereafterthe cap can be unscrewed and replaced repeatedly while the adapterremains attached to the bottle. Adapters and flow-controllers to be usedon glass bottles may be made of polyethylene, and the cap may be ofrigid plastic. However, the bottle may be of flexible plastic, therunback channel may be a part of the bottle, and the flowcontroller maybe of plastic, porcelain or the like.

Flow-controller 20 is provided with a knob 21 at the top whichfacilitates movement of the flow-controller within the passageway of thepouring attachment, and its removal therefrom. In using theflow-controller the channel 22 is located at the front of the bottlebelow the lip 5.

The passageway 25 through the adapter is substantially circular in crosssection. The wall 1 around it is substantially vertical, although ifmade of plastic it may taper slightly outwardly at the top to facilitateremoval of the core in molding. Thus the flow-controller 20 can easilybe removed from the passageway by simply pulling it upwardly. It may bepressed into the passageway to any desired distance above the battle 7,or at least to substantially the bottom of the oening 2. Ordinarily theflow-controller will be of such a diameter that it fits too snugly inthe passageway below the bottom of the opening 2 to permit its beingpressed easily into the passageway below this opening. At any positionin which it partially closes this opening and provides only a small airinlet 26 below it, the flow-controller fits so tightly in the passagewaythat its position will not be altered Without manual movement thereof.

To provide dropwise delivery of liquid through the channel 22 theflow-controller is pressed into the passageway sufiiciently to almostcompletely seal off the entrance of air through the air inlet 26. If theinlet 26 is entirely closed, there will be no flow of liquid throughchannel 22. The rate of delivery of liquid dropwise through the channelwill depend upon the extent to which the opening 26 is restricted by theflow-controller. If the flow-controller is down in the passageway sothat it permits only a very small amount of air to enter the passageway,the liquid in the bottle will be delivered slowly in drops. If theopening is somewhat larger the drops will be delivered more rapidly. Ifthe flow-controller is entirely removed a large volume of liquid willflow out through the passageway and air will enter the assume bottleabove the liquid. If the'liquid backs up against the underside ofthe'baflle 7 the air will bubble under this baffle and for that reasonthe baffle is advantageously made with a snbstantiallyst'raight frontedge which will be substantially horizontal when the bottle is tippedfor pouring. a

In using the flow-controller shown in Figs. l-.-3 the channel 22 must beplaced forward. It need not be exactly in the center of the front of thebottle but should be near enough the front so that the liquid flowingdropwise through it will flow rather directly to the lip 5. The devicewill be inoperative if the flow-controller is turned so that the channel22 coincides with the opening 2. The device is operative when thechannel is at intermediate points, but will perform most efficiently ifthe flowcontroller is placed with the channel 22 at or near thecenterline of the lip 5.

When the. bottle is'tipped for pouring, with the flowcontroller at theposition indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, the liquid flows. only dropwise.from the channel 22 and its rate is; controlled by adjusting the heightof the flow-controller' in the passageway and thus modifying the heightof the air inlet 26.

The design of Figs. 1-3 is: adapted particularly for those instanceswhere the pouring attachment ordinarily will. be used without theflow-controller, and the dropwise delivery of liquid with theflow-controller will be rare.

If the flow-controller is to be used frequently it will be easier tolocate the channel in the wall of the passageway rather than in theflow-controller. This is shown in section in Fig. 4. The pouringattachment and flowcontroller here shown are in all respects identicalwith the pouring attachment and flow-controller of Figs. 13 except. thatthe channel 23 is located in the inner surface of the wall 1 Qty thepassageway rather than in the flowcontroller. It. is located at thefront of the pouring attachment. under the lip 5. Locating the channelin the wall of the pouring outlet is a convenience because theflowcontroller then. is uniform on all sides and it is immaterial whichportion of the flow-controller is placed forward and which is at therear. The channel 23 is readily molded in the surface of the wall 1. Toprovide uniformity to the thickness of the wall, the outside of thischannel is in the flow-controller care must be taken to see thatv thechannel is forward when liquid is. to be poured dropwise.

Figures -7 show a modification in which lugs 30 are provided in thethroat of the adapter which limit the distance the flow-controller canbe pushed down in it, and provide a minimum opening 26 for the dropwisedelivery of liquid. If the lugs are not all at the same level but on aslant, and the bottom of the flow-controller slants at the same angle,the size. of the opening can be altered by turning the flow-controllerin the adapter. By combining such an arrangement with markings on theflowcontroller and adapter to show how the flow-controller should'bepositioned to form larger and smaller openings, respectively, furthercontrol of the dropwise delivery of liquids. from the bottle isprovided.

The pouring, attachment may be aflixedto the container in any desirablemanner and the showing in Fig. 2 is merely illustrative. The tongue 1.4may be omitted. The channel. 3 need not, extend entirely around the wallI, but ordinarily this is desirable. The cylindrical wall 1 need not beopen from the top down, as illustrated, but the wall may be continuousaround the top and may be provided with an opening only at the locationof the low point of the channel so that liquid in the channel will'draintherethrough into the passageway and thence the container but may beapplied with a friction fit or in any other desirable manner. 7 Thepouring attachment and flow-controller are preferably made ofpolyethylene, but other plastics, etc. maybe used. p

Thus various modifications in the specific embodiment of the inventionare possible and applicant .does not intend that he be bound by thedetails of the constructions shown in the drawings.

What I claim is: p

1. In the top of a container, a passageway which opens at thebottom intothe interior of the container and at the top is open to the outeratmosphere and is adapted for the pouring of liquid from the containertherethrough, an opening through the wall of the passageway, and aflowcontroller movable in. the passageway to a position in which itsubstantially closes the opening, there being a small channel betweenthefiow-controller and the wall of the passageway located away from theopening and extending throughout the entire effective height of theflowcontroller, and no other opening between the flow-conf troller andthe wall of the passageway, whereby when the flow-controller is in saidposition liquid maybe poured dropwise from the container through thechannel between the flow-controller and the wall of the passageway, theflow-controller being movable from said position to a position in whichit does not substantially completely close the opening. I

2. Inthe top of the container of claim 1 in which means is provided inthe passageway below the flow-controller which limits the downwardmovement of the flow-controller therein to provide a minimum opening inthe, wall opposite the pouring lip.

3-. A pouring attachment for a container with a pouring lip at the topof the front of a wall providing a substantially cylindrical passagewayfor pouring liquid therethrough, means for attaching the attachment to acontainer, an opening through said wall opposite the pouring lip, achannel outside the passageway which drains into said openingfromaposition under the pouring lip, and a fiow controller movable inthe passageway which in' one positionsubstantially closes the opening,there being a small channelbetween the flow-controller and wall of thepassageway below the pouring lip and extending throughout the entireeffective height of the flow-controller, and no other opening betweenthe flow-controller and the wall of the passageway when theflow-controller is in said position, whereby liquid is deliverabledropwise from the container through the channel between theflow-controller and the wall of the passageway.

4. The pouring attachment of claim 3 in which the channel between theflow-controller and the wall of the passageway is located entirely inthe flow-controller and the flow-controller is removable from the top ofthe pouring attachment.

5?. The pouring attachment of claim 3 in which the channel betweentheflow-controller and the wall of the passageway is located entirely inthe wall and the flowcontroller is removable from the top of the pouringattachment.

6; The pouring attachment of claim- 3 in which lugs are provided in thecylindrical passageway below the flowcontroller which serve as stops andlimit the downward movement of the fiow-controller therein. I

7 References Cited in the file of this patent.

V UNITED STATES PATENTS 185,433 Davis Dec. 19, 1876 4.8.7,,817 BaldwinDec. 13, 1892 2,167,476 Diefenbach July 25, 1939 2,601,039 LivingstoneJune 17, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS v 6,401 Great Britain Mar. 11, 1897

